Too Close for Comfort
by sunne
Summary: The Marauders lose something very important to them. Written for Round 5 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition.


**Author's Note:** This is written for Round 5 of the QLFC. I am the Seeker for the Falmouth Falcons. My prompt is: Marauders; Object: Marauders' Map

 **Too Close for Comfort**

The halls of Hogwarts were empty and silent at this time of night. Very few torches were lit, and the remaining light created glowing pools on the stone floor alternated with darkness. James darted down the corridor and pressed himself flat against the wall at the junction of two hallways beside a portrait of a fat man eating from a platter of cheese. He craned his neck and peeked around the corner.

"Coast is clear," he whispered, waving his hand.

Three other boys joined him, their chests heaving.

"Do you have to breathe so loudly, Wormtail?" Sirius glowered at the shorter and pudgier boy.

Peter forced himself to calm the frenzied bellowing of his lungs. "I am not breathing loudly."

"Well, then why does it sound like there's a dragon breathing behind me?" Sirius complained.

James twisted around. "Shut it, Padfoot." He reached out one hand. "Where's the map?"

"I forgot it." Peter said, staring at the ground and rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.

"You're just telling us this now?" James groaned while Sirius swatted Peter upside the head.

"Ow!" Pressing a hand against his ear, Peter shot a glare at Sirius. "What was that for?"

"The map, you doofus." Sirius thrust his hands out in a wild gesture of annoyance. "You were supposed to bring the map."

Peter moaned. "I'm sorry."

"You always screw things up, don't you?"

Remus placed a hand on Sirius' arm. "I'll go back and get it."

James watched as Remus jogged back down the hallway and turned a corner on his way to the Gryffindor Common Room. James' foot tapped impatiently on the floor as his fingers touched and retouched the wand he had hidden up the sleeve of his sweater. He rechecked the adjoining hall, eyes wide and ears perked as he listened for any sign of wandering teachers or Filch. Beside him, Sirius ripped into Peter in the low and threatening voice that he often used with the shortest member of their group.

James sighed and glanced at the two boys behind him. "Will you two shut your cake holes?" he snapped as he kept one eye watching for Remus' return.

"How can you just stand there?" Sirius gestured in James' direction. "This is the third prank Peter's mucked up. I'm serious, Prongs."

James gave Sirius a long and unamused glare. "Now is not the time for puns, Padfoot."

His friend frowned. "Puns? I'm not being punny right now." The glare on his face shifted to one of mirth as he realized the unintentional humor. "I _am_ being serious."

Peter groaned and rubbed at his face. "That's getting old, Padfoot."

"What's getting old?" Remus reappeared, empty-handed.

"Sirius is trying to be funny again." James glanced at the werewolf's hands. "Where's the map?"

"Bad news." Remus grimaced. "It's gone."

"What do you mean _gone_?" Sirius barked while James sent Remus an annoyed look.

"That's not funny, Moony." James ran a hand through his hair. The black tufts stood up on end more than they typically did. He leaned to the side as if trying to look behind Remus' body. "Where is it?"

"I looked everywhere." Remus shook his head. "I even tried to _accio_ it."

"Well, bloody hell." Sirius kicked at the wall and muttered a curse while he hopped on one foot.

James frowned. "Alright." He held his hands out in a placating manner. "Let's just calm down and think about this rationally."

"Rationally? You want us to think about this _rationally_?" Peter wrung his hands together, his voice increasing in volume. "We've lost the map."

"Let's backtrack. Where did we—" James spun around as he heard a noise and pressed himself against the wall, his eyes darting a glance around the corner. "Filch is coming!"

A low-whistled tune could be heard along with the jangle of keys. The whistling stopped. "What's that, Mrs. Norris? You smell students out of bed?"

James gave Peter and Sirius a shove as Remus quickly retreated back down the hall. The Marauders ran, but Peter lagged behind.

"Come on, Wormtail!" Sirius grabbed the boy's arm and dragged him along as James and Remus raced ahead. "Run faster!"

oOo

The next day, the four boys clustered in one of the far corners of the library after classes had ended, their heads pushed together.

"This is where I remember us using it last." James broke off from the group and began combing through the stacks of books.

"You do?" Remus frowned.

James nodded as he got down on his hands and knees to look under a bookcase.

"I thought we last used it up in the Astronomy Tower," Peter said, shooting a cursory look around.

"It wasn't the Astronomy Tower, you dolt." Sirius folded his arms. "We had it in here while we were watching Snivellus and his minions."

A low chuckle from a row over had the four boys turning. Severus Snape stepped out from behind a bookcase.

"Did you lot lose something?" He smirked, cold, black eyes shining with amusement.

James gave him one moment's look before lunging towards him, hands sinking into the fabric of the other boy's robes at his collar. "You have it!"

"Have what?" Severus leaned away but continued to regard James with amused contempt.

"You know perfectly well what I'm talking about, Snivellus." James pushed the other boy against the wall.

"You're going to have to be more specific, _Potter_." Severus spat the last word at James.

James shoved Severus again, and Severus retaliated, their actions evolving into a scuffle. Sirius wedged himself between friend and enemy and threatened Severus with his wand, the tip pressed against the Slytherin's throat.

Severus stared down his long nose at Sirius' wand and smiled. "Do it, Black. I dare you."

Peter stood off to the side, pulling at his sleeves and fidgeting as he watched the scene.

"Sirius," Remus warned.

Leaning towards Severus, Sirius bared his teeth. "I swear, Snivellus, if you have our—"

James kicked Sirius in the shin and slid him a meaningful glare before letting go of Severus. "Return to us what you have stolen. It doesn't belong to you."

The tall Slytherin righted his robes while he held his hooked nose up in the air. "It's a most interesting object. It would be a pity for it to fall into Filch's hands." He smoothed his hands over his tie and looked at James. "I'm tempted to keep it."

oOo

"I don't like this! I don't like this at all." Remus worried at the hem of his shirt as his three friends escorted him through the hallways a week later. He passed by a window, the sky darkening in degrees.

"It'll be fine, Moony." James placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. His eyes scanned his friend's face, noting the anxiety wrinkling the skin at the corner of his eyes. "You have plenty of time."

Peter glanced at his watch. "A half hour until moon rise, Moony."

"There is no need to announce the exact nature of Moony's furry little problem to anyone listening, Wormtail." Sirius' words hissed between his teeth as he leaned towards the other boy.

"It's not that," Remus said. "It's Snape. He's probably sitting down in the dungeons right now watching us. He's going to figure it out, Padfoot."

Sirius slapped a hand against Remus' back. "You're giving Snivellus too much credit here, Moony."

Remus moaned, the sound animalistic and urgent. As they rounded a corner on the first floor, the Entrance Hall in sight, Severus Snape stepped out from behind a suit of armor. In his hands, he held the map. The four Gryffindors froze in the middle of the corridor.

Severus opened the folded parchment. "While I wasn't able to break the spell on whatever this is without being insulted," he slid a dark look in James' direction, "I figure it is something important to you."

"Give it over, Snivellus." Sirius made a grab for the parchment but the other boy held it out of reach.

James drew his wand and aimed it at Snape with a nasty hex forming on his lips, but stopped when Remus growled beside him. Alarmed, James turned to his friend. Remus stood, arms rigid, as he gritted his teeth.

"Oh no, no, no," Peter cried, tapping his finger against his watch. "My watch stopped."

Sirius rounded on Peter. "What do you mean your watch stopped?"

Tears shone in Peter's eyes as he frantically shook his wrist. "I don't know, Padfoot. It just stopped."

"Well, what time was it when we left the common room?" Sirius shouted.

Peter wailed. "I don't know."

"Prongs!" Remus closed his eyes.

Severus darted his attention between the four boys. "Have you all gone mad?"

Having forgotten Severus was standing there, their map still in his hands, James snapped his head around. The black-haired boy stared at the four of them as if they had all sprouted antlers and tails. James jabbed his wand in Severus' direction. " _Stupefy._ "

"Good thinking, Prongs," Sirius said as Severus fell to the floor. "Now what?"

"Get him out of here." James pushed Remus into Sirius' arms before snatching the map from Severus' now limp fingers. "I'll meet you in the forest after Peter and I deal with Snivellus." He thrust the map into Sirius' hands and pushed Sirius and Remus towards the Entrance Hall doors. " _Run_!"


End file.
